Total Health Ambassador Chris Paul enhances athletes in anticipation for Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015

On Saturday, March 21, eight-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul joined Kaiser Permanente in welcoming two Special Olympics basketball teams to a private basketball clinic at the Crenshaw Family YMCA in Los Angeles. The athletes – members of the Special Olympics Southern California Lakewood teams – had an opportunity to run drills, scrimmage, and learn from one of the best players in the NBA. Afterwards, Paul conducted a question and answer session with the athletes and provided each athlete with a signed basketball as a remembrance of the day and the up close and personal time they spent with an outstanding athlete and role model.

“Being an athlete takes hard work, dedication, and the passion to push yourself beyond your comfort zone,” said Chris Paul, NBA All-Star and Kaiser Permanente Total Health Ambassador. “These Special Olympics athletes push through barriers every day to accomplish their goals. Their positive spirit and determination are inspiring and why I am so honored to be working side-by-side with them. When you get down to it – we each have lessons to learn from one another.”

Paul also reinforced the importance of staying healthy and living an active lifestyle while building excitement for the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015.

Kaiser Permanente is privileged to serve as Founding Champion and Official Health Partner for the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015. Hundreds of physicians and staff will be providing care to the 7,000 athletes participating in the World Games. The Games will be the biggest international sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world this year and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games.

"Our physician and staff volunteers are enthusiastically preparing to welcome and provide medical care for these inspiring athletes. I’m very proud of the response from our doctors, nurses, and employees who have stepped forward to volunteer with the intent of making this one of the most successful and memorable Special Olympics ever," said Edward M. Ellison, MD, executive medical director for Southern California Permanente Medical Group, and member of the Special Olympics LA 2015 board of directors. “We are excited and looking forward to meeting the athletes and sharing wonderful and profound memories of these games, not only with them, but with the entire Special Olympics family.”

“Kaiser Permanente has been a fantastic partner in helping build awareness for our event and mission. They stepped up and provided us with a World Games-themed Rose Parade float and now, because of their relationship with Chris Paul, they are able to give our athletes this once-in-a-lifetime experience,” stated Patrick McClenahan, President and CEO of LA2015. “Our two organizations are aligned in many of our core values from embracing diversity and inclusion to strengthening the health of our communities. We are proud to have them as our official ‘Health Partner’ for the World Games.”

In addition to their support of the Special Olympics World Games, Kaiser Permanente and the National Basketball Association earlier this year announced a strategic partnership that focuses on building healthier communities. The collaboration is an extension of both organizations’ shared commitment to improving the health and wellness of fans and the communities in which they live. This marks a new and unique partnership for both organizations; as part of the relationship, Kaiser Permanente serves as health care expert and consultant for the NBA.

Discover more about the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015 at LA2015.org and Kaiser Permanente’s involvement with the Games at kp.org/specialolympics.

First annual Truth Awards Ceremony to take place Saturday, March 28, 2015, at 7 p.m. at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre

AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) and APLA Health & Wellness (APLAHW) are excited to announce that Vallerie Wagner, APLAHW’s chief operating officer, will receive the Advocate Award from Better Brothers LA in association with the DIVA Foundation. These organizations are recognizing Wagner for her extraordinary efforts to establish HIV/AIDS prevention and education initiatives in communities of color and for providing invaluable resources to communities disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Wagner will be honored at the first annual Truth Awards ceremony on Saturday, March 28, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre.

“Your work is a testament to the importance of living one’s life unabashedly and with vigor,” Better Brothers LA Founder Vincent Holmes said in a letter announcing Wagner’s award. “These are the characteristics we seek to highlight and honor as we work to strengthen the black gay community in Los Angeles. In honoring you, we acknowledge your work and courage which serves as a shining example to us all.”

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this recognition in its first year,” Wagner says. “I’m equally honored to work alongside a remarkable community committed to fighting and advocating for LGBT people of color as well as those living with HIV and AIDS.”

Wagner has been an exceptional advocate for the LGBT community and people living with HIV/AIDS for more than 25 years. She has worked for APLA and APLA Health & Wellness since 2008 and before that worked at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center as well as the Black AIDS Institute. She currently oversees APLA Health & Wellness’ operations, including prevention education and the flagship Gleicher / Chen Health Center, located in the Baldwin Hills neighborhood. The new health center offers free or low-cost medical, dental, and behavioral health services, including a Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) program.

Better Brothers LA was founded in 2014 to provide spaces for black gay men to network, socialize, and live better lives. Since its inception, the organization has sponsored cultural, recreational, social, and networking events for a community that still faces significant difficulties from cultural and religious opposition.For more information see betterbrothersla.com.

The DIVA Foundation was founded in 1990 by Tony-nominated actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, star of the original cast of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. The foundation has worked to break the silence and erase the stigma still connected to HIV/AIDS, especially as it poses a threat to women and children. For more information see thedivafoundation.org.

Please join APLA and APLAHW in extending our warmest congratulations to Vallerie Wagner for this exceptional honor. Tickets to the inaugural Truth Awards Ceremony on March 28 start at $125 and can be purchased online.

This first-of-its-kind community advisory board plans to tackle and discuss how this information can be disseminated in the community.

One of the group’s primary tasks is to look at ways to address the incidence of autism among children in South L.A. and other parts of L.A. County

Recently, an inaugural meeting was held on the campus of UCLA, at the Semel Institute, for the Autism Community Advisory Board. A 13-member board was established by the Special Needs Network and UCLA CART (Center for Autism Research and Treatment), to support the research of Dr. Daniel Geschwind, MD, Phd, whose studies include the genetic causes of autism in African Americans in underserved communities, particularly South LA residents. The group included co-chair of the board and Special Needs Network's president\founder Areva Martin, Congresswomen Karen Bass (D), President\CEO of St. John's Well Child and Family Center, Mr. Jim Mangia, as well as the office of Assembly member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, gathered on the campus of UCLA, to discuss ways to bring awareness to the Dr.'s findings, and find solutions to the lack of early intervention and resources in the community.

One of the group’s primary tasks is to look at ways to address the incidence of autism among children in South L.A. and other parts of L.A. County, as well as the shortage of health care providers who provide early diagnosis and intervention services. The board will also study educational options for autistic children including early childhood education programs and preschools.

“The work of this committee is critically important and I applaud UCLA and Special Needs Network for their collaborative efforts to improve the lives of children living with autism,” said U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) one of several elected officials serving on the board. “Partnerships like this are models that can be used throughout California and the nation to help address autism.”

One of the group’s focal points will be to identify ways to support the research of Daniel Geschwind, MD, PhD, a renowned autism scientist at UCLA and co-chair of the advisory board. Dr. Geschwind was awarded a $10 million grant project from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2013, opening the doors for his team at UCLA to research the genetic causes of autism in African American children – a population that has been overlooked by autism researchers.

“The creation of this board is a logical extension of the work that Special Needs Network has done over the last eight years. As we prepare to open South LA’s first autism health care center, collaborating with community leaders and families is a strategic move to ensure we are leading by example as we address the needs of those we serve,” says Areva Martin, Esq., SNN’s president and the board’s co-chair.

According to LA-based nonprofit, 211 LA County, underserved and uninsured families with young children residing in LA are three times more likely to fail the screen to detect autism spectrum disorders (ASD). ASDs are complex developmental disorders that affect how a person behaves, interacts with others, communicates and learns. There is no known cause or cure. A 2014 report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that autism affects one in 68 children and that African American and Latino children are diagnosed two to four years later than their typical peers.

This first-of-its-kind community advisory board plans to tackle those issues and more. With plans to meet five times this year, the group will begin its work next week when members convene at UCLA and begin the dialogue around how to better serve those living with autism. The CART team shared their incredible research with the board, and together discussed how this information can be disseminated in the community.

The group has vowed to establish a series of town hall meetings in the community, with the help of the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the established outreach work of the Special Needs Network to share the valuable findings that Dr. Geschwind and his team have discovered. This will lead to heightened awareness, and interest of all stakeholders, to make sure that autism is treated as an epidemic in under-served communities in Los Angeles, and that much needed resources for those children affected is accessible to the community.

Outreach, engagement and education are greatly needed especially among African American seniors and their caregivers, many of whom are impacted by the new changes to Medicare and Medi-Cal under Cal MediConnect.

Advocates for African American elders address the need for outreach and education to seniors in the New 9th District on March 13th

New changes to Medicare and Medi-Cal will impact health care to seniors. It is estimated that almost 300,000 Medicare and Medi-Cal beneficiaries are eligible for passive enrollment into a Cal MediConnect health plan in Los Angeles County. Cal MediConnect, the name for the state’s dual eligible demonstration project, is part of California’s Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI). LA County has the most complex enrollment strategy and the largest population affected by the CCI.

The Cal MediConnect program includes five health plans and seeks to improve care coordination and quality of care for dual eligible beneficiaries – those with both Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits. Due to the complexity of the CCI, there is great potential for consumer confusion and limited access. This is especially the case for low-income, African American seniors, who experience barriers to health care information and access due to cultural and socioeconomic differences and low literacy.

African Americans comprise 11% or over 30,000 of the dual eligible population in LA County. Outreach, engagement and education are greatly needed especially among African American seniors and their caregivers, many of whom are impacted by the new changes to Medicare and Medi-Cal under Cal MediConnect. Knowledge gained from AAAE’s involvement in other related arenas including CCI stakeholder meetings, the LA CCI Communications Workgroup and the L.A. Care Advisory Committee for the Transition of Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Project, has reaffirmed the growing need for these outreach and informational activities tailored for African American seniors.

Implementation of the CCI began in 2013. However, findings from a survey conducted by Advocates for African American Elders (AAAE) of 550 African American seniors in South LA and South Bay neighborhoods of Los Angeles County indicated that 81.5% of seniors had never heard of the CCI. Findings from this study are published in a report, Understanding the Service Needs of African American Seniors in Los Angeles County: Findings from the Advocates for African American Elders Community Survey that can be downloaded from the AAAE website (www.aaaeonline.com).

Dr. Karen Lincoln, Associate Professor at the USC School of Social Work, Director of USC Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Social Work and Founder and Chair of AAAE, mentioned these results in her remarks at Councilman Curren Price’s 2014 Celebrating Our Seniors Luncheon and the need for outreach and education in the New 9th District. There is a high number of Medicare and MediCal beneficiaries residing in the New 9th District who have not been reached by current methods of information dissemination and messaging, and who could benefit from AAAE’s outreach and education initiatives.

Advocates for African American Elders (AAAE) is an outreach and engagement program whose mission is to engage African American elders in enhancing their quality of life through advocacy, education and increasing access to community resources. To accomplish this mission, AAAE focuses on: 1) educating and disseminating information about health care policies and resources through fact sheets and educational forums, community presentations, and the AAAE website; 2) collaborating with local health care providers to improve outreach and engagement efforts, and 3) assessing service needs/resources via surveys in South Los Angeles and other underserved communities. The primary goal of AAAE activities to increase the quality of life for African American seniors and their families.

The primary goal of AAAE activities to increase the quality of life for African American seniors and their families.

AAAE was founded by Dr. Karen D. Lincoln in 2012, is chaired by Dr. Lincoln and is staffed by Co-Chair and Project Assistant, Bryan F. Gaines, MSW. AAAE has several core volunteers and a Senior Advisory Committee (SAC) that is comprised of 14 African American senior volunteers. The SAC has two subcommittees: one that focuses on the CCI and another on affordable housing. AAAE activities are currently supported by a grant from The California Wellness Foundation and funding from the USC School of Social Work.

AAAE has achieved several key accomplishments, including: (1) provided outreach and engagement activities to over 10,000 people throughout Los Angeles County; (2) increased awareness and knowledge of seniors living in underserved communities about health care resources; (3) produced the 2014 report, Understanding the Service Needs of African American Seniors in Los Angeles County; (4) disseminated the report to over 500 policy makers and community stakeholders which resulted in numerous "tweets," many of which were "favored" and "retweeted" on Twitter; (5) provided access to the report’s recommendations to inform and be included in the Los Angeles Department of Aging’s new strategic plan, and (6) produced the 2015 research brief, New Research Highlights the Benefits of Community Programs for Older African Americans in Los Angeles County.

Two particular key accomplishments are worth noting. First, AAAE has developed partnerships with the five participating Cal MediConnect health plans. As a direct result of AAAE’s successful initiatives, these health plans are now co-sponsoring AAAE events in addition to participating in the Health Plan Information Clinic component of CCI outreach and education events. Second, AAAE has developed an issue brief, Thinking Outside the Box: Creative and Culturally Competent Outreach and Education Strategies, in collaboration with staff attorneys from the National Senior Citizens Law Center. The issue brief describes the AAAE outreach and education model and recommends it as an effective method to reach, engage and educate members of underserved communities.

AAAE has organized and hosted three successful and interactive CCI Comprehensive Educational Town Hall Talk Shows in South LA and Inglewood where hundreds of participants learn about the CCI and their health care options in a fun and entertaining way. Participants also engage directly with representatives from each of the five CCI health plans and receive an informative CCI handbook created and published by AAAE.

In an effort to continue providing critical outreach to seniors in the New 9th District, AAAE, in collaboration with WLCAC-Theresa Lindsay Senior Center, is hosting its fourth Coordinated Care Initiative Town Hall Talk Show and Health Plan Information Clinic on March 13, 2015. All are welcome to attend!

Kaiser Permanente is committed to utilizing local minority, women, small and disabled veteran-owned businesses in its workforce to the maximum extent possible for this project.

Photo Courstey of Kaiser Permanente

A plethora of job seekers, primarily African American, attended a seminar at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw mall to learn ways to be competitive in the workforce

Kaiser Permanente joined the local nonprofit group “2nd Call” on Wednesday, February 25 for a free workshop for individuals interested in pursuing a career in the construction industry. The event was presented by “2nd Call”, a Los Angeles area nonprofit organization that assists high-risk individuals with personal development.

Dozens of men and a handful of women, predominantly African American, made their way to Community Build in Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw for the seminar and gained valuable insights for securing work in this field. Topics included the job application process, union membership and representation, contract work, and occupations in construction.

“We work with many young men and women whose employment history or other factors make it difficult to be hired,” said John Harriel of 2nd Call. “With construction employment opportunities on the rise in our community, this event seemed like the right thing to do.”

“We appreciate 2nd Call’s invitation for us to be a part of this outreach event,” said Rick Ginley, Director of Communications, Kaiser Permanente National Facilities Services. “Kaiser Permanente is committed to recruiting a diverse and local workforce and we want to make sure that all members of our community have the tools and information they need to find work in this industry.”

Kaiser Permanente will be expanding its medical services in the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw community in the form of a new four-story, 100,000 square-foot LEED Gold certified medical office building scheduled to open in 2017.

Kaiser Permanente is committed to utilizing local minority, women, small and disabled veteran-owned businesses in its workforce to the maximum extent possible for this project. This partnership with 2nd Call is part of a broader community outreach effort by Kaiser Permanente for construction of the new building.

The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers present their production of “Bridges” on Sunday, March 8, 2015 at St. Bernadette Church in the Baldwin Hills community of Los Angeles. “Bridges” is a dramatization in song and narration that chronicles the events that took place during the three-weekend marches in Selma, Alabama in 1965 that led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and many of the freedoms American citizens enjoy today because of the struggles, sacrifices and many times death, of the brave and determined men, women, and children whomarched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama fifty years ago.

The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers of Los Angeles will be joined by noted musicians including Dr. David Sharp, motivational speaker and dancer, as well as baritone, Bradley Baker, from Crystal Cathedral’s “Glory of Christmas” productions. Members from the Jubilee Singers Reunion Choir, Byron J. Smith’s Spirit Chorale, and Perry V. Hayes’ United Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles are included in the production.

St. Bernadette Church is located at 3825 Don Felipe Drive, Los Angeles, CA. For more information, please go to www.amjsla.org, or call the information line at 424.228.9220, or email: albertmcneiljubileesingers@gmail.com

Jamaican Artist, Yrneh Gabon Brown closed his “Visibly Invisible” exhibition that ran from August 29, 2014 to March 1, 2015 at California African American Museum (CAAM) located at 600 State Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90037.

“Visibly Invisible”, curated by Mar Hollingsworth reflected Yrneh’s personal journey and awakening while researching and documenting the devastating effects of prejudice, ignorance and violence inflicted upon people affected with albinism in Tanzania, Jamaica and to a lesser extent, the USA. Through videos, recorded in these locations, and artwork created in various media, (photography, collage, assemblage, sheet metal, cast bronze and ceramic sculpture), the artist shared his inspirational trips and heart-felt devotion towards children and adults living with the condition. Yrneh first saw the prejudices against people with Albinism as a child in Jamaica and this inspired him to research this arts project.The exhibition informed its audience about people born with Albinism in Africa.

Yrneh is a graduate of the Roski School of Art and Design at the University of Southern California.Also featured in his exhibition, Yrneh invited his mentor and sponsor, renowned Grammy and Emmy-nominated veteran TV& Film actress, and visual artist, CCH Pounder to exhibit a piece of her work which ties in with the theme of his show on Albinism. CCH Pounder who is known for her roles in ‘ER’, ‘X Files’ and the movie ‘Avatar’, has been a strong supporter of his research on Albinism in Africa and it was through her involvement and support thatBrown was able to undertake the research and to travel to Tanzania. Through his “Visibly Invisible” exhibit, Yrneh intended to educate and to bring about change. (CAAM) Museum Hours are M-F 10am to 5:00 pm., Sun. 11am-5pm, www.caamuseum.org

The William Grant Still Arts Center is continuing the art of collecting, educating and sharing with future generations.

It is said that the best things in life are free and in the case of the William Grant Still Arts Center (WGSTAC) that is true. Tucked away, off Adams Blvd on West View St., this is one of the few local centers that offer free programs for youth and adults to learn about the art of collecting, music and culture. Amitis Motevalli, education coordinator and director of WGSTAC staff, has been working there for over a decade and shared a little about its history and their upcoming programs.

The center was opened in 1977 by Councilman David Cunningham. One of his then deputies, Maxine Waters, had the vision of opening a local center. During this time, Dr. William Grant Still, an accomplished musician, was ill. It was around this time that WGSTAC would be born.

“He actually was an innovator and created so many forms of experimental music that were never really recognized by the masses,” said Motevalli. “For that reason, Maxine and Mr. Cunningham’s office decided it would be a good idea to name this center after him.”

Shortly after the center was named after him, Still passed away but his name and legacy would live on through the center. “The center has basically been producing exhibitions, art programs, community related workshops, performances, etc.,” said Motevalli.

“Initially, it started, many, many years ago…the African Marketplace Bazaar. It was the home of the original marketplace.” The bazaar was a part of one of the programs of the city of Los Angeles Department and Cultural Affairs.

The marketplace would change directors and eventually move from the WGSTAC. Joyce Maddox became the new director over WGSTAC. The center has continued to be a place that offers free programs for the community such as arts education, exhibitions and music education.

“One of things for me that was very important was [being] able to reach out to a lot of community collectors,” said Motevalli. “We always had original items available for our community members so they never had to look at a replica of something.

“They could actually see the original letter written by Malcolm X. That was right here in our neighborhood.”

Education coordinator and director of WGSTAC staff, Amitis Motevalli

Photo by Brian W. Carter

Motevalli started a program called African American Composer Series, which started with Charles Mingus. ”We decided not to just have an exhibition with the record collection we had at the time… but also having other archives and other materials from this musician that made up [his] career,” said Motevalli.

WGSTAC surrounds its students with every aspect that they can provide for a deeper experience and connection to the subject. Students actually learn music through the information and material provided about the musician. “The kids actually loved it,” said Motevalli.

Further programs would include Thelonious Monk, Nina Simone, Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln and Sun Ra. Last year, they did a Blues musician, Lead Belly and this year it will feature Duke Ellington. When asked the age range of students at WGSTAC, Motevalli responded, “Our range is really three to a 103.

Their music education programs focuses primarily on youth ages three to 18-years old but of course offer adult classes. The programs are free which includes a book club in partnership with Free L.A. High School, which is in need of programs. The key word with WGSTAC is free.

“We just try to provide as much as we can because… we know our parents are stretched thin,” said Motevalli. “They need programs for their children.”

Thanks to a grant from Cal Humanities for a special project called grassroots collecting, which contest of 8-weeks of workshops where they will work with the neighborhood in collecting items of historical significance.

“In most communities of color, our histories are not documented in popular history,” said Montevalli. “People find it upon themselves to actually get the material, save it, document it and make sure that the history is kept.”

“We’ve seen that passion with certain elders in our community.” Together with collections from the neighborhood, the WGSTAC has featured extensive collections of black dolls, music and much more.

“We want to reach out to people who are of all ages in documenting their histories and bringing here librarians who can help with cataloguing and preserving items.”

The William Grant Still Arts Center’s Duke Ellington Series begins March 7 and will run for eight weeks. The archiving workshop will run from March 14 until May 2. The archive exhibit will be shown in the Fall of 2015.

Photo by Brian W. Carter

For more information on the William Grant Still Arts Center, please visit wgsac.wordpress.com. You can also call at (323) 734-1165. The center is located at 2520 West View St. in Los Angeles, CA 90016. For the info or to sign up at for their collector’s club, please visit westadamscollectorsclub.org. You can follow the collector’s club on Facebook, Twitter and Intagram.

Hill Harper and Nielsen executive Cheryl Pearson-McNeil spoke to a group of people at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza on Wednesday, February 18.

Photo Credit: DVR Productions

Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza was the surprising venue for a meeting of consumers and experts to discuss Blacks and business, money, and influence last week.

Speaker and author, Hill Harper and Nielsen SVP of U.S. strategic community alliances and consumer engagement, Cheryl Pearson-McNeil visited the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza to discuss buying power and money management in the Black community with shoppers.

The event was held on Wednesday, February 18, at 8pm and was hosted by KJLH radio personality Adai Lamar. The event began with some illuminating remarks by Pearson-McNeil.

“There are 44 million black people in the United States,” Pearson-McNeil said. Of those 44 million people, she noted that Blacks spend $1.1. trillion a year, making Black people powerful consumers, buyers and influencers.

“We influence what people say and do,” she said. Because of this, it’s very necessary for Black people to use their buying power wisely when it comes to the things they consume.

Harper then joined her on stage to discuss how Blacks could best utilize their buying power.

“Reinvestment in the community is the key,” Harper said.

The author then went on to discuss the successes and failures of Black business, noting that while Blacks are earning more they often don’t pass their wealth and knowledge on to future generations.

Harper also shed light on his teen leadership program, Manifest Your Destiny. The non-profit was created to help kids who may be at-risk for “falling through the cracks” Harper noted.

The voices of African and African Americans are imperative to the narrative of police relations, economic injustices and community development.

Executive Publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper Danny Bakewell, Sr., local community activists, clergy and politicians will gather at Denker and King Boulevard in front of the Southwest LAPD Headquarters located at 1546 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, LA 90062, Saturday, February 21. The participants will March west on King Boulevard and then south on Crenshaw Boulevard to Leimert Park. Now more than ever, the voices of African and African Americans are imperative to the narrative of police relations, economic injustices and community development.

“This is not just a demonstration, but it’s a sense of outrage we have for a complete disregard about life. We are creating a movement demanding accountability for the acts of the police. That is why we are marching on a very historic day,” said Danny Bakewell, Sr.

“We look forward to the call going out to working professionals, local organizations, public figures and faith based communities from all religious backgrounds. We are uniting together in an unprecedented fashion unlike anything this city has witnessed before. We are pushing for justice, equality and respect of black lives,” said. Thompson.

The new movement of justice in the country is shaping society’s look about race relations and the youth’s constant battle with injustice due to stereotypes and personal biases. This demonstration is a direct response to the recent killings of Black youth such as LA local Ezell Ford, Ferguson’s Mike Brown, Ohio’s John Crawford, NYPD’s Eric Garner, Cleveland’s Tamir Rice and countless others across the country.

Organizers are calling for demands in response to the police shooting deaths asking for special prosecutors, a civilian review board, a strengthening in community policing, demilitarizing the functions of police and changing the practices of police personal and professional practices.

“We are morally outraged at the level of police violence directed towards our community. Also the general systemic violence and injustices that still shake our lives today as Black people that refraining us from the sense of community and opportunity that America has given us as citizens. We come together to reaffirm the unity as a community as a united spirit in the dignity of Black people, especially our right to live,” said Chimbuku Tembo from the African American Cultural Center.

With Community leaders coming together from some of the most influential groups in South Los Angeles and engaging their youth community, this will be a strong show of unity with two generations of people out for change. The March for Justice and Unity will end at Leimert Park for a Rally with Special Guest Speakers.

If you need additional information please go to the www.lasentinel.net.

Sidney Muldrow is on a one man mission to save the Arts program at his former South Central High School.

Sidney Muldrow is a remarkable gentleman, a world renowned French Hornist, who has played alongside musical giants such as LA Philharmonic, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Frank Sinatra, Alicia Keyes and many others. He is also a kind, compassionate man with a positive mission to give back to his community. Sidney is currently raising money to revitalize and reinstate an Arts program at his former School; Alain Leroy Locke High School located in South Central Los Angeles.

The School opened in 1967, in the aftermath of the Watts riots; it provided families in the South Central area a safe and secure school environment. Sidney was the first Student Body President of Locke High School, rallying against lingering unrest in the surrounding communities. Sidney created a name for the school; ‘The Saints’, with the motto; ”Once a Saint Always a Saint”, the opposite of how the community was depicted in the media at the time. Public opinion believed that the school would be destroyed within a couple of years but against all odds, the School flourished. Its staff and student body transformed students into academic achievers with an impressive number educators, entertainers, musicians and professional athletes including NFL, MLB Players and a three times Olympic Gold Medalist.

Sidney is currently raising money to revitalize and reinstate an Arts program at his former School, Alain Leroy Locke High School located in South Central Los Angeles.

Courtesy Photo

Even in today’s current economic climate, the school still produces high achieving graduates, however, sadly, the art based programs and the physical education facilities have suffered greatly through lack of funding. Currently the music departments are still using instruments from the 1970’s. They need new equipment, band uniforms and computers. Also the athletic department is suffering greatly; they are using broken equipment, with holes in the floor of the weights room, and track meets can no longer be held at the school as the track is full of pot holes. Despite the financial problems, the ‘Saint’ spirit lives on; although the school marching band has been reduced from 150 to only 35 members, they have won the city championship for the last four years consecutively.

Sidney is the personification of ‘local boy makes good’; an accomplished artist who has travelled the world working with some of the greatest musicians of our time, he cares deeply about the issues at Locke High School and wants the young people to have something to be proud of. Not only is Sidney aiming to raise money to restore the music and athletics departments to their former glory, he also plans to personally give back by making scholarships available to worthy students with the "The Sidney Muldrow Scholarship fund for the Arts”. Sidney would also like to create a walk through hall of fame to pay tribute to the schools many success stories.

It’s one of many banks that make a real effort to give back to the community.

When most think of banks, a number of thoughts and ideas may come to mind with the most glaring memory being the bank bailouts of a few years ago. The financial structure and politics of banks can leave many baffled and even angry but some do get a few things right. This Black History Month we revisit U.S. Bank and the local efforts it has made to make the community a better place.

Most of US Bank’s local outreach can be attributed to Senior Vice President and Greater Los Angeles Coastal Region Manager Darrell Brown. Growing up locally, specifically in Watts, CA, he has an affinity for the community and its resources. U.S. Bank as a result has helped many local businesses and community outreach services further their goals.

The Brotherhood Crusade is one of those community organizations that has received support from U.S. Bank, specifically its Youth Source Center located in the Crenshaw District. It has received funding to keep the services it offers with proper tools and equipment. One of those services, the Nutritional Educational Obesity Prevention program (NEOP) has been able to reach and change lives because of funding from U.S. Bank.

U.S. Bank has worked in partnership with many community organizations which include the Los Angeles Urban League, The Black Business Association, FAME Renaissance Corporation, The Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce (GLAAACC), the Black Business Association (BBA) and many other economic development corporations.

Brown has stated the importance of banks in the community as they help local businesses realize their dreams. The banking experience can vary especially during tough times in the economy but their importance can’t be denied. US Bank has been there for the community and hopefully will continue to be.

“It’s all those things that speak to the same thing we are trying to get to – and that’s making a difference for our community, planting seeds for those who are younger, so we can bear fruit as we get older and feel comfortable in knowing that the legacy is going to live long beyond my years,” Brown said.

PAFF has premiered a host of top black films including Think Like a Man, Free Angela and All Political Prisoners, About Last Night, Love & Basketball, and many more.

The centerpiece of Baldwin Hills Crenshaw’s Black History Month programming returns with new films, art and more.

The 23rd Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) is set to return February 5-16 at the RAVE Cinemas 15 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Last year’s PAFF saw a large influx of foot traffic throughout the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. The festival brought in more than 35,000 people from around the world to view films and showcases on display throughout the mall.

As the centerpiece of Baldwin Hills Crenshaw’s Black History Month programming, the event has a long-established history at the mall going back to 1996. The Magic Johnson Theaters first hosted PAFF as part of its annual Celebration of African American Heritage. The festival has grown over the years to its current prominence, featuring screenings of globally acclaimed films, crafts produced by hundreds of fine artists and shows by award-winning comedians and spoken word performers.

PAFF has premiered a host of top black films including Think Like a Man, Free Angela and All Political Prisoners, About Last Night, Love & Basketball, and many more. Each year, PAFF presents awards of recognition to key industry players and rising stars that have soared in the film industry. Previous recipients include Forest Whitaker, Loretta Devine, Charles Dutton, Alfre Woodard, Idris Elba, Billy Dee Williams, Sidney Poitier, Nicole Beharie, Omari Hardwick, Phylicia Rashad, David Oyelowo, Nate Parker, Taraji P. Henson and a host of other extraordinary industry professionals both in front of and behind the camera.

(PAFF)recently announced that director Stanley Nelson’s The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution will make its West Coast premiere as the Opening Night film selection. Triangle-Going to America will be highlighted as the Centerpiece selection and closing the Festival is The Man in 3B.The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution takes a look at the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, but also how it influenced how African-Americans look at themselves today. The film includes riveting eyewitness accounts from the first members who joined the organization when its founder, Huey P. Newton, was still alive as a young, brash upstart who confronted local police and American tradition with a loaded gun and a law book.. Triangle-Going to America addresses the issue of immigration has been the topic of many recent news reports and headlines, including President Obama taking bold new steps to fix America have broken immigration system. The Man in 3B includes a star-studded cast, including Lamman Rucker, Billie D. Williams, Jackee Harry, Marla Gibbs, Brely Evans and more. Daryl Graham (Lamman Rucker) has just moved into a Jamaica, Queens, apartment building and his neighbors, male and female alike, can’t stop talking about him. From his extreme attractiveness to his undeniable swag, Daryl is the man every woman wants and every man wants to be. All films will screen at RAVE Cinemas 15, located within the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 4200 Marlton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90008.

PAFF collaborates with other festivals around the world, giving it an audience that is truly international. Not only is it the largest and most prestigious Black film festival in America, but PAFF-LA is the largest Black History Month event in the United States, during the month of February. The Pan African Film & Arts Festival is the quintessential Black festival.

Festival passes and tickets are on sale now. For more information on PAFF, including screening schedule and events, please visit www.PAFF.org.

The Eat, Shop, Play Crenshaw campaign encourages the local community to support Crenshaw area businesses, especially those impacted by construction of Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project. Eat, Shop, Play Crenshaw makes it easy for you to Eat at local restaurants, Shop at local retail stores and Play at local destinations.It can also help you win $1,000 in cash!

Entering the Quarterly Drawings couldn’t be easier.From your cell phone, tablet or computer, submit photos of receipts from participating businesses by clicking "Take the Pledge/Submit Drawing Entry" at www.metro.net/eatshopplay.Receipts must be $25 or more to qualify.Each qualifying receipt gets a new Drawing Entry, so the more often you spend dollars locally, the greater your chances are to win!

Pledge Cards and Drawing Entries may also be picked-up and submitted in-person at Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project Field Office, 3699 Crenshaw Bl, Los Angeles CA, 90016. So take the pledge to Eat, Shop, Play Crenshaw today and help your neighborhood while helping yourself!

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY

Installation the Cutter-Soil Mix (CSM) - Weekend Closures

Walsh-Shea Corridor Constructors (WSCC) is installing the Cutter-Soil Mix (CSM) panels on Crenshaw Bl between Martin Luther King Jr. Bl and Stocker St.The installation of the CSM panels is necessary for the construction of the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project. This activity will require a full weekend closure of Crenshaw Bl between Martin Luther King Jr. Bl and Stocker St. The weekend closure will take place on Friday, January 30, 2015.

WHAT: Installation of CSM panels

WHEN: Friday, January 30, 2015 at 9pm through Monday, February 2, 2015 at 6am. This will be a 24 hour activity, weather permitting.

WHERE: Crenshaw Bl between Martin Luther King Jr. Bl and Stocker St

DURATION: Weekend

For the construction notice, detours and more information, please visit metro.net/crenshaw.

Construction Notice: Utility Support Weekend Closures

Walsh-Shea Corridor Constructors (WSCC) will continue excavating to support existing utilities. Excavation access to the utilities, under the limited clearance of the deck beams, will require deck panels to be lifted. This activity will require 5 full weekend closures of Crenshaw Bl between Exposition Bl and Coliseum St.

WHAT: Utility Support

WHEN: Weekend closures were implemented Friday, January 16, 2015 at 10pm through Monday at 6am

WHERE: Crenshaw Bl between Exposition Rd and Coliseum St

DURATION: 5 weekends

For the construction notice, detours and more information, please visit metro.net/crenshaw.

Tree Removal on Florence Av

In preparation for upcoming construction activities of the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, Walsh-Shea Corridor Constructors (WSCC) has begun work on the removal of the previously identified and approved trees on Florence Av between Crenshaw Bl and Manchester Bl, and those on Aviation Bl between Manchester Bl and Imperial Hwy. A tree inventory was conducted prior to this activity. Trees will be replaced towards the end of construction of the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project at a ratio dictated by the permit. Work started on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 and will continue through approximately February 2015.The work hours are Monday through Friday from 7am-3pm (weather permitting). Pedestrian and business access will be maintained. There will be intermittent lane closures to accommodate this work.

JOBS

Join Metro’s team of dedicated transportation professionals and help provide the people of Los Angeles County with one of the most effective and efficiently operated mass transit systems in the entire country.

Metro offers a variety of employment opportunities that present exciting challenges and growth opportunities in an outstanding work environment. Metro also offers its employees competitive salaries and an attractive benefit package. Computers are available to complete online employment applications at the following location:

METRO Headquarters

Employment Office

One Gateway Plaza Level

Los Angeles, CA 90012-2932

For more information on current job opportunities, please contact the job hotline at (213) 922-6217 or visit www.metro.net/about/jobs.

CAREER TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Get On Board! Start Your Career in Construction

You are invited to attend a Construction Careers Information Center (CCIC) orientation to learn about the trades, professional service careers in the construction industry and upcoming construction projects on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:00am located at 5401 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90043. CCIC offers individuals seeking careers in the construction industry a full range of self-service information, free construction career counseling, job search, placement services, skill development activities and other career-related services. For more information, please contact (323) 596-2700.

CRENSHAW/LAX TRANSIT PROJECT:Stay Connected

Get the latest information on construction activities in your neighborhood by staying connected.

Hotline (213) 922-2736

Emailcrenshawcorridor@metro.net

Websitewww.metro.net/crenshaw

Facebook www.facebook.com/crenshawrail

Twitterwww.twitter.com/crenshawrail

]]>brian@lasentinel.net (Kinya Claiborne, LACMTA- Metro )Crenshaw & AroundSat, 31 Jan 2015 04:27:53 +0000 Congresswoman Janice Hahn Welcomed Local Guests in Washington, DChttp://www.lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14345:congresswoman-janice-hahn-welcomed-local-guests-in-washington-dc&catid=122&Itemid=261
http://www.lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14345:congresswoman-janice-hahn-welcomed-local-guests-in-washington-dc&catid=122&Itemid=261Community members were invited by the Administration to be special guests of the recent State of the Union Address.

Congresswoman Janice Hahn caught up with her good friends LAPD Captain Phillip Tingirides and his wife Sergeant Emada Tingirides in her DC office. Captain Tingirides has been responsible for bringing the LAPD and the Watts community together in an incredibly successful program that has become a model for the nation. This law enforcement duo have been active members of the Watts Gang Task Force founded back during Hahn’s city council days and was thrilled to hear that they had been invited to DC for the State of the Union by the President and First Lady. Phil got to sit with First Lady Michelle Obama during the address, as for his wife Emada—she watched the President’s speech from the White House! Congratulations and thank you both for your service.

LeDaya Epps and her sons

Courtesy Photo

Another special State of the Union guest from the 44th district was LeDaya Epps, a mother of three from Compton, who was raised in the foster care system and had trouble finding steady work after graduating high school. Everything turned around for her and her family when she became one of just two women to graduate from a union apprenticeship program. She is now part of the construction crew working to build the new Crenshaw/LAX metro line. Hahn is especially proud of her accomplishments. Epps is a testament to what investment in the local infrastructure can do for workers in the community. Hahn was also glad Epps and two of her sons could visit the DC office before the big event.

14-time New York Times best-selling author Carl Weber will be signing copies of his new book, "The Family Business 3."

On Thursday, February 12th in Los Angeles at Baldwin Hills Public Library, Carl Weber will be signing books at the Baldwin Hills Public Library at 5:30pm.

LA Sentinel readers know and LOVE Carl Weber for his fun and plot-twisting stories about everyday African Americans who wind up in crazy situations.

Aside from being a bestselling author, Weber is also owner of Urban Books LLC (a division of Kenisington books), the #1 top-earning black-owned publishing house, and has published more than 2500 titles.

Weber has written and published 22 books in total. Some of the titles your readers know and LOVE are: The Family Business series, The Choir Director series, The Man in 3B, Married Men, The First Lady, Up to No Good, Something on the Side, and many more.

Branching out into film, the screenplay he has written for his bestselling novel, The Man in 3B is scheduled for release in theaters this Spring (from Tri-Destined Films/Urban Books Media).The film will premiere on February 16 at the Pan African Film Festival and stars Billy Dee Williams, DB Woodside (Fox TV’s “24”), Lamman Rucker (Tyler Perry's “Meet the Browns,” “Why Did I Get Married"), Jackee Harry (of the 80's show "227"), and many more.

The Baldwin Hills Public Library is located at 2906 South La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90016. For more information please call (323) 733-1196.

The trail offers a free way to get in good shape while taking in a great view.

It’s January and many are well into their New Year’s resolutions to get back in shape after the super calorie blitz that was the holiday season. This is the time of year when media is bombarded by gym advertisements and membership programs most of which many don’t even utilize. If money is tight and there is no time to travel to the gym, here is a free and enjoyable way to get in shape in the community.

The Eastern Ridgeline Trail at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area is a great place to meet your fitness goals. Along the scenic Eastern Ridgeline Trail, visitors will find amenities that include a play area tailored for families, fitness zones and plenty of trails for walking, running or riding complete with beautiful views from the ocean to Downtown Los Angeles.

Each Fit Zone comes with instructional guidelines to perform the workouts correctly

There are four fitness zones with exercise equipment that utilizes your own weight for resistance. The equipment is easy to use and each zone has instructional guides for the correct form and what muscles you will be working. If every zone is utilized, you will work your chest, shoulders, arms, abs and lower body for a total body workout—and all for free.

The child-friendly areas include animal sculptures, monkey bars and slides; benches for relaxation; and native, drought-tolerant landscaping. There are also accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which include a new crosswalk at the “five points” intersection of La Brea Avenue, Stocker Street and Overhill Drive.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Department of Parks and Recreation and Baldwin Hills Conservancy board members dedicated the Eastern Ridgeline Trail at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation in 2013. The dedication took place in the upper area of the park, which is located at 4100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90056.

Funded by a Proposition 40 grant provided by the Baldwin Hills Conservancy, along with a grant from Chairman Ridley-Thomas’ office, the ¾-mile walking trail is the first completed segment of the planned “Park to Playa” Regional Trail. When fully completed, the Park to Playa trail will be the first non-vehicular route from Baldwin Hills to the Pacific Ocean.

The $3 million investment makes Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area more accessible to the surrounding communities in the View Park and Windsor Hills area. When completed, the ‘Park to Playa’ trail will offer the ultimate workout with incredible views along the ridgeline for an experience that you just can’t get at the gym.

This exciting addition to the existing trail network at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area was made possible by a partnership between Chairman Ridley-Thomas’ office, the Los Angeles County Chief Executive office, the Baldwin Hills Conservancy, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Public Works.

January is the beginning of a new year and a chance to start fresh and new. This month is also Family Fit Lifestyle Month and Healthy Weight Awareness Month. This is the right time to get the body in working order and back to a more healthy rhythm. The Eastern Ridgeline Trail is one of the best ways to help achieve that goal and do it for free.

To learn more about the Eastern Ridgeline Trail and other trails in the area, please visit http://trails.lacounty.gov/.

“Providing the communities we are so privileged to serve with excellent, high quality, low cost health care is of critical importance to us,” said Ms. Risë K. Philips, President and CEO of T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers.

Community Health Center To Help Everyone Health and Wellness again receives Joint Commission Accreditation for providing high-quality health care services.

T.H.E (To Help Everyone) Health and Wellness Centers was recently recognized by the Joint Commission (www.jointcommission.org) for its ongoing commitment to provide high-quality, low cost health care. After conducting a rigorous review of the organization’s main sites, the Joint Commission again issued its accreditation to T.H.E. of both its coveted Gold Seal of Approval ® and Primary Care Medical Home designation. These awards are only granted to health care entities that are in complete accord with the Commission’s rigorous health quality standards.

In 2011, T.H.E. was one of the first community health centers nationwide to be simultaneously awarded both honors from the Joint Commission in recognition of the “highest commitment to delivering primary healthcare in a comprehensive, coordinated and accessible model.”

Risë K. Philips, President and CEO of T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers

“Providing the communities we are so privileged to serve with excellent, high quality, low cost health care is of critical importance to us,” said Ms. Risë K. Philips, President and CEO of T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers. “Recognition and continued accreditation by the Joint Commission is a tremendous honor—it says we are maintaining our high standards and fulfilling our mission as an organization.”

Ms. Phillips, who assumed leadership of T.H.E. in 2009 after a broad executive career in the private and public national and international health care sectors, led a major organizational turnaround of T.H.E. - then a struggling Federally Qualified Health Center based in South Los Angeles. This turnaround resulted in marked financial stability, an expansion of its locations (from one to six). Ms. Phillips successfully spearheaded the organizations’ efforts to obtain its initial accreditation from the Joint Commission.

Want to help others and help yourself at the same time? Eat, Shop, Play Crenshaw, buy great stuff, do fun things, eat delicious food and be eligible for fabulous cash prizes up to$1,000! The prizes will be awarded quarterly, throughout 2015.

Here’s all you have to do to enter:Go to metro.net/crenshaw and pledge to support businesses impacted by construction along the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project alignment. Spend $25 or more and be entered in drawings for terrific prizes.

Upload photos of receipts from participating Eat, Shop, Play Crenshaw vendors to metro.net/crenshaw. Entries can also be mailed or dropped off at the Crenshaw IPMO, 3699 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90016. There’s no limit to the number of receipt entries per person. Winners will be announced quarterly.

It’s that easy!

So take the pledge to Eat, Shop and Play Crenshaw and help your neighbors while you’re helping yourself. For details go to metro.net/crenshaw.

Inglewood High’s program will begin in August 2015 with one class offered to incoming freshmen

IUSD is a proud recipient of a $35,000 Specialized Secondary Program (SSP) Planning Grant from the California Department of Education – one of only four LA County applicants to be fully funded. The money will pay for costs associated with planning and implementing a destination linked-learning Law and Government Program at Inglewood High that will keep and attract the best, brightest and most motivated students and prepare them to succeed in college and beyond.The District now qualifies to apply for a $100,000 implementation grant next year.

Inglewood High’s program will begin in August 2015 with one class offered to incoming freshmen. An additional class will be added each year to complete a four-year sequence of classes by 2018.Students will learn the administration of justice and government and the elements and practice of the law, debate, legal research and legal writing; how landmark legal cases have shaped US history; and how these rulings impact their daily lives. They will also study and practice specialty areas of law such as copyright, patent and business law. Coursework will be seamlessly integrated with real-world opportunities for students to practice and apply their learning in case studies, mock and moot trials, debates, student internships, job shadowing and in law day and teen court activities.

Most exciting is the incredible line-up of local legal professionals from the Inglewood Courthouse and area universities who have pledged to help the team design and build the curriculum and develop the capacity to teach it with fidelity, vision and rigor.These partners will also help secure venues and opportunities for moot and mock trails, internships and job shadowing opportunities.

More on SSP grants can be found here: http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r17/ssp14result.asp

The future Landside Access Modernization Program includes a new automated LAX Train that will connect passengers to the airline terminals from new facilities at the airport including Metro’s planned Crenshaw Line station at 96th Street/Aviation Boulevard.

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners today unanimously approved moving forward with a $4 billion plan to transform LAX's ground transportation and arrival and departure experience. The future Landside Access Modernization Program includes a new automated LAX Train that will connect passengers to the airline terminals from new facilities at the airport including a Rental Car Center, multiple locations for passenger pick-up and drop-off, and Metro’s planned Crenshaw Line station at 96th Street/Aviation Boulevard. The plan is designed to relieve congestion in the Central Terminal Area (CTA) as well as on local streets surrounding the airport.

“Today we are moving one step closer to bringing rail to LAX and building the world-class airport our residents and visitors deserve,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who chairs the Metro Board of Directors. “The automated train to LAX, consolidated Rental Car Center and new passenger check-in facility will not only save time for travelers, but it will also ease traffic at the airport, on our freeways and in the surrounding neighborhoods. The LAX train will also improve our local economy as part of our airport modernization program that will create 40,000 jobs, remodel terminals and dramatically upgrade the passenger experience at LAX.”

"This is a big day for L.A. We are moving to make good on a long-standing promise to all Angelenos: We will connect LAX to a Metro station, and we'll make it easier, faster, and more convenient to travel through our airport,” Councilmember Mike Bonin, Chair of the City Council's Transportation Committee said. “With a new Automated People Mover, Metro Station, Consolidated Rental Car and intermodal transportation facilities, we'll remove traffic and congestion from terminal areas and nearby neighborhoods, making LAX a world-class airport as well as a first class neighbor.”

The Board’s vote sets the groundwork for the LAX Landside Access Modernization Program to begin the environmental review process in January 2015. Construction is expected to begin in 2017.

“This Program will transform how people travel to and from LAX in the future,” said Sean Burton, President of the Board of Airport Commissioners. “We are committed to building a system that will relieve congestion, encourage transit use and create a reliable, efficient, time-certain arrival and departure experience for residents and visitors.”

The LAX Landside Modernization Program includes the following elements:

-A new automated LAX Train to connect the passenger terminals to the Rent-A-Car Center, multiple pick-up and drop-off facilities and Metro’s planned Crenshaw Line station at 96th Street/Aviation Boulevard.

-Provides free, fast, reliable and convenient access to terminals for passengers, employees and other users of LAX 24/7, 365 days a year.

-Includes three stations in the Central Terminal Area connecting to the airline terminals with a convenient pedestrian walkway system.

-Creates new pick-up and drop-off locations with access to other hotel and airport shuttles.

-Includes retail, dining options and other amenities.

A quick connection to Metro’s planned Crenshaw Line station at 96th Street/Aviation Boulevard.

-The LAX Train will link the airport to Metro’s transit station and provide a connection to the region.

“This is an important commitment to Los Angeles,” said Gina Marie Lindsey, Executive Director Los Angeles World Airports. “The Board’s decision today means local residents and visitors to LAX won’t have to wait a generation to benefit from these improvements. Improvements are happening now.”

The Landside Access Modernization Program is part of the overall LAX modernization plan and will go through a comprehensive environmental review and approval process before it can proceed. There will be many opportunities for the public to participate throughout the process. For more information go to www.connectinglax.com

There is still a lot of holiday fun to be had after Christmas is over.

If you’re looking for some things to do after Christmas day, here are few things going on around Crenshaw. Happy Holidays!!

Christmas Youth Skating Party

On Saturday, Dec. 27, come out for a Youth Skating Party during the holiday season! Bring your family and friends to the patio area of Paul Martin Fellowship Hall located at 900 E. Rosecrans Ave. in Los Angeles, CA 90059, from 1:00pm-4:00pm. First 30 youth will be admitted. This event is sponsored by Church of the Redeemer from for a fun time for all. Please bring your own skates and no skateboards. There will be prizes, Bible games, fun and refreshments. Parent consent for is mandatory. Church of the Redeemer is located at 900 East Rosecrans Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90059 (Between Central and Avalon at Cahita).

Celebrate Kwaanza with the Lula Washington Dance Theatre. This will be a cultural celebration of family and community. Concert dates are Saturday, December 27 at 3pm & 7pm; December 28 at 3pm. The Lula Washington Dance Theatre is located at 3773 Crenshaw Blvd in Los Angeles, CA 90016. For more info, please call (323) 292-5852. You can also visit their website at www.lulawashington.org

The new K-8 facility is being constructed using a $19.8 million bond issue from the California School Finance Authority (CSFA). ICEF expects to occupy the campus during the 2015-16 school year.

One of Los Angeles’ first charter management organizations also announces ambitious plan to house all of its schools in permanent facilities by the 2018-19 school year

ICEF Public Schools (ICEF), a network of 12 charter schools in South Los Angeles and Inglewood known for sending African-American and Latino students to the top 100 colleges in the country, today announced that its flagship View Park Preparatory Elementary and Middle schools will move to a new 54,000 square-foot campus currently being constructed. These schools currently occupy four smaller campuses in South Los Angeles. The new K-8 facility is being constructed using a $19.8 million bond issue from the California School Finance Authority (CSFA). ICEF expects to occupy the campus during the 2015-16 school year.

This is ICEF’s second permanent facility. The first, View Park High School, was financed through another CSFA bond issue in October 2013. These campuses are the start of ICEF’s plan to place all 12 of its schools in permanent homes over the next four years. Within the next two years, ICEF expects to open a permanent facility for their Lou Dantzler Middle School thanks to a Prop. 1D opportunity provided by the State of California.

“With the completion of ICEF’s View Park K-8 facility, our founding family of schools will have a permanent home. This is ICEF’s first step toward an everlasting commitment to our entire community of scholars,” said ICEF’s CEO Parker Hudnut. “ICEF was founded with the support of our families and as we produce more college-bound graduates each year, we wish to honor and reinforce our commitment to our scholars, our families and our community as we share and celebrate together the progress in their personal and professional lives.”

Founded in 1999, ICEF is celebrating its 15th anniversary this school year. The organization serves approximately 4,100 mostly African-American and Latino students, and the new facility will allow ICEF to serve more families seeking access to a high quality public education.

“ICEF not only stands for education, but it also represents an organization that has spent the last 15 years investing in the youth of south Los Angeles and Inglewood,” said Mayor Richard Riordan, chairman of ICEF Public Schools Board of Directors. “The new View Park K-8 facility represents ICEF’s financial investment and commitment to its students and the community for the next 15 years and beyond.”

Historically, over 90 percent of ICEF’s graduating students have gone on to pursue their college educations at many prestigious schools across the United States. ICEF attributes its success to a model that focuses on academics along with other critical school experiences that create well-rounded students who are prepared to succeed in college.

ICEF’s model focuses on the three As—Academics, Arts and Athletics. The academic instruction uses technology and Concentric Circles, which combines online delivery of educational content with the best features of classroom interaction and personalized learning. This allows for thoughtful reflection and differentiated instruction across their diverse group of learners. ICEF’s Visual and Performing Arts department works with students to cultivate creativity, creative thinking and problem-solving ability through the arts. The athletics department consists of championship football and basketball teams as well as intermural boys and girls basketball, track and field and volleyball. ICEF also has a Soccer Academy and a world-renowned rugby program. The combination of the three A’s allows ICEF students to compete at universities outside Los Angeles and to travel the world, exposing them to unique experiences and opportunities not available to most high school students.

While construction along the Crenshaw corridor has created challenging circumstances for some small business owners, many also are taking advantage of the opportunities the new Crenshaw-to-LAX rail line will bring. More than 40 businesses currently impacted by the construction learned this week how to tap into novel programs that will support and promote them during this challenging time. (photo courtesy of Mark Ridley Thomas’ Office)

Local businesses recently received valuable information that will help them during the Crenshaw/LAX line construction.

While construction along the Crenshaw corridor has created challenging circumstances for some small business owners, many also are taking advantage of the opportunities the new Crenshaw-to-LAX rail line will bring. More than 40 businesses currently impacted by the construction learned this week how to tap into novel programs that will support and promote them during this challenging time.

“Since construction began on the Crenshaw/LAX Line, local businesses and patrons have been asked to endure a lot,” Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who advocated for the programs and coordinated the gathering, said to the group assembled at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall Community Room. “These programs will be critical elements to help businesses thrive. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you to make sure that the Crenshaw Line construction moves forward safely and in a productive manner that puts community first.”

The programs include the Eat Shop Play Crenshaw marketing and publicity campaign, which encourages community members to “pledge” to eat, shop and play locally and provides routine raffles for people who can demonstrate they have done so on the corridor. Metro will also use social media to encourage people to tell their stories about the Corridor.

Another new program is the Business Solutions Center, which is slated to open December 19, and which will be a dedicated office where business owners can receive advice, technical assistance, case management and resource referral services to address their needs.

One of the key objectives of the Business Solutions Center will be to help businesses apply for the grants that will be made available through the innovative new program Business Interruption Fund. In October, the Metro Board unanimously agreed to establish a $10 million annual fund for businesses impacted by construction of the various lines under construction.

“It is an extreme priority to make sure these small businesses can make it through the construction process,” said Mark Robertson, Jr., chief executive of Pacific Coast Regional Small Business Development Corporation, which is helping businesses access the fund. “Everybody understands that the building of this rail lines ultimately means success for the businesses adjacent to them. The challenge is getting to the point where the line is complete and the businesses can reap the benefits.”

Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza welcomes back the most popular man on Earth for the holiday season.

“When I saw the reaction of the kids, because I never even thought—I put on this Santa Claus suit because I was getting paid,” said Langston Patterson. “Then, I started getting reactions from different people and the kids, they don’t care if Santa is purple—they’re going to jump around like grease in a skillet—I like that.”

Patterson becomes Santa Claus around this time of year spreading joy and cheer to kids in the Crenshaw and South L.A. area at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza (BHCP). He is definitely one of the most popular African-American Santas around if not the only in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, he enjoys it and the kids enjoy him.

“I enjoy making them happy and giving them hope, and then I’m giving something back to the community too,” said Patterson. “I’m having my own Christmas—this is my Christmas.”

Patterson was born in Houston, Texas but grew up in L.A., a local resident of the Crenshaw District. He worked as a computer programmer and technician for two decades before he took up being Santa Claus.

“They gave me the job in 2004,” said Patterson. “I was sitting down here in the [Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza]…and one of the associates asked me did I want a job playing Santa.”

Patterson eventually realized it was an opportunity and decided to take the job. “All my kids are grown and gone and they’re out of town, so I figured, ok, I’ll make a little money and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Patterson would continue donning the red suit, black boots and red hat—he had caught the Christmas magic that comes with becoming good ‘ole Saint Nick. As Santa at BHCP, he looks forward to spreading that world famous cheer that only comes around this time of year.

“Some of the people forget the reason for the season,” said Patterson. “Santa Claus is just there to make the [kids] happy.”